


and i ran, i ran so far away

by meeda



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Happy Ending, Modern AU, Running, Zombies, fitness, the zombies have more game than these two idiots, weightloss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 13:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19906435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meeda/pseuds/meeda
Summary: Rey downloads a zombie-themed running app to help her get fit. While running in the park alone, Rey takes the game a little too seriously. Ben Solo sees Rey running for her life and decides to rescue her.





	and i ran, i ran so far away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QueenBumble](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenBumble/gifts).



> This prompt is from the beautiful mind of QueenBumble here on AO3!  
> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)

Rey gave a little whine as she stepped off the scale. Apparently, three weeks of access to limitless snacks and countless client lunches had begun to add up. A small twinge of guilt settled in her belly. She should be grateful that her new job has so many perks instead of sulking over a couple extra pounds. Leia had been a godsend when she offered Rey a job as her personal assistant at Resistance Marketing. Or maybe the nail that popped the tire of Leia’s Bentley was the godsend. Either way, Leia had shown up to Unkar’s auto repair shop, met Rey working the front desk, and suggested she apply for the position. The rest was history. Her new pencil skirts would be history, too, if she didn’t keep her weight in check. 

Rey stepped into her living room to sit on the couch and start looking up ways she could get more active. She never really had this problem before starting an office job. As a kid, she was scrawny from living in foster homes where she had to fight off at least 4 other hungry kids to get food on her plate. Even when she was older and got a job at the auto shop, Rey wasn’t in a position to indulge. Her paychecks were almost laughable, so 79 cent ramen and select dollar menu items were her dietary main staples. Still, Rey couldn't afford to buy new work clothes if she outgrew them, so daily workouts were going to become part of her routine. 

Yoga seemed too slow-paced for Rey’s taste; she needed something more exciting. Zumba would make her look like an idiot in front of strangers with better rhythm than her, so that was out. Rock climbing looked promising, but she’d have to pay for a gym membership and that defeated the purpose of getting fit to save money. Maybe running? She already had sneakers and the park down the block from her apartment was equipped with running paths. She started looking up running apps on her phone so she could track her workouts when she came across a rather interesting one: 

**The Running Dead ★★★★**

_Turn your morning jog into a game of life or death. The zombies are fast approaching and you need to outrun them to survive! Reach checkpoints to earn points and level-up. Join a survival team or go rogue to survive on your own. Pro Tip: Listen with headphones for the full, immersive experience._

Rey had never hit the download button so fast before. 

* * *

The next morning, Rey was on the sidewalk stretching for her first run. As she stretched her right leg by lifting it onto the nearby mailbox, she pulled out her phone to boot up the app. The screen came to life and Rey watched a small, cartoon zombie chase a jogger across the homescreen. She chuckled while she entered in the login info she had created the night before.

_Welcome back, ReyofLight16! Looks like you made it through the night without encountering any zombies. Let’s see if you’re as lucky today. Select your course level to start playing._

Rey selected the “Fresh Meat - Beginner” course, popped in her headphones, and began a steady walk to the park as a warm up. Ominous music played through her headphones and a man’s voice began to speak. It was dark, deep, and velvety smooth. It reminded her of someone.

“Whoa, I wasn’t expecting to find another person out here. What are doing in these parts alone without a guide? Listen, I’ll help you make it to the next safety zone, but you have to listen to me very carefully. This place up ahead with be crawling with zombies and you’ll need to keep up if you want to survive.” It was so early that there was nobody out on the street with her. At this time of day, her neighborhood looked as if it had already been hit by a zombie apocalypse. Rey’s heart began to beat a little faster as she made her way closer to the park’s entrance. A small groan sounded just in her left ear, making her head jerk. 

“Did you hear that? I think they know we’re here. We’re going to have to move faster.” Rey picked up her pace to a slow jog as she entered the park. She made her way down the path and took in her surroundings. A light fog had settled across the ground and the trees were still damp from the rain last night. It kind of gave her the creeps, but she had to admit it beat doing Zumba with the elderly at the community center. Another growl, much louder this time, played in her right ear and caused Rey to jump. 

“Okay, that one was too close for comfort. We need to pick up the pace. Start running!” The music became more frantic and Rey increased her speed to match the beat. Her lungs started to burn a little at this pace, but the adrenaline helped keep her going. Her headphones were not expensive, so they didn’t do much to cancel out the noise of her own feet hitting the pavement of the path. Rey could see her breath coming out in large puffs as she continued deeper into the empty park.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up as footsteps sounded behind her. They were fast -- much faster than the pace she was running now. “Behind you!” 

Rey shrieked as the voice shouted a warning into her ears and she began to sprint. “That zombie is right on us! Move faster or we’re both dead!” Sweat dripped down her back as her eyes looked around for signs of movement. Her pulse spiked when she saw a shadow in the distance. More groans and footsteps sounded in her ears, one set sounded particularly loud. Like a giant zombie was now after her. “They’re gaining on us!” _I’m not gonna make it. I’m not gonna make it…_

“Hey, stop!”

Rey saw another shadow out of the corner of her eye before warm fingers gripped her upper arm. She began to scream and thrash her limbs -- anything to get this zombie motherfucker off of her so she could run away to the safety zone. _Wait…the safety zone is in the app. I’m in the park...and a stranger has a hold of my arm!_

“Get off of me!!” 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Arms wrapped around her to stop her thrashing, but the man held himself perfect still. He was breathing just has heavily as she was. How long had he been following her? “Easy there, I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m just trying to help you.”

“You’ll help me by letting me go!” 

The heaviness of his arms fell away from her and she turned around ready to punch this creep in the throat. _Oh god._ It was Ben, Leia’s son. She had met him during her first week at the office when he came in for the Executive Leadership meeting. He headed up the IT department, but mostly worked remote. Rumor was that Leia had exiled him to work from home after more than one monitor had been smashed following a tense budgeting meeting. He was wearing track pants and and a tank top, a slight sheen of sweat was making his shoulders glisten. His dark eyes were looking at her with deep concern before he recognized her. 

“Rey?” 

She didn’t take the time to feel flattered that he remembered her after one meeting. “What the hell, Ben?! Do you make it a habit to chase lone women in the park before dawn? Is that how you get your rocks off? Your mother would be ashamed!” 

His brows furrowed deeply and he began looking around. “So, you’re not in trouble?” 

“What? Why would I be in trouble?” She bent down to hold her knees and catch her breath.

Ben huffed. “I heard screaming and I followed the sound down the path. Once I started to catch up with you, it looked like you were running for your life. I thought maybe someone was trying to...attack you.” 

“So, you came to rescue me?” Rey asked softly. 

“I supposed I did.” Ben held her gaze, his breath finally steadying. Then he averted his eyes to look at a leaf on the ground. “But, if you weren’t in trouble, then why were you running like that? If that’s your normal form and pace, I shudder to think what your knees will look like in 10 years.” 

Rey laughed and started straightening out her clothes. “That’s not my usual form, thank you very much. And for your information, I was running for my life.” 

His eyes drifted back up to meet hers. “How so?”

“Promise you won’t laugh?”

“I’ll do my best.” 

She took a deep breath and began to explain. “I downloaded this zombie-themed running app called The Running Dead and there was this voice that guides you through it and it was so convincing and the sound effects were so immersive that my imagination got the best of me and I...thought I was...being chased by...zombies…” Rey trailed off as Ben doubled over with laughter. He was practically wheezing. She crossed her arms and let him get it out of his system. When he finally composed himself, he stood up, stepped closer to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, but that is hilarious. If it makes you feel better, I once lost a bet and had to run the Coruscant Marathon in a Kylo Ren costume. They used my picture on the front page of the newspaper the next morning” He smiled softly down at her. It did kind of make her feel better. “Plus, this is, without a doubt, the best review of my app I’ve ever heard,” Ben said with a smirk. 

Rey paused. “ _Your_ app? Wait, you designed this nightmare?!” The familiar voice made sense now; it was Ben's. 

“Yeah, I made it a couple years ago with my running buddy Hux,” Ben said. He brought his hand to the small of her back and started to push her into walking. “Come on, I’ll walk you home. You need to cool down from your brush with death and we _both_ have to be in the office in less than two hours.” 

Rey looked up at him as they strolled side-by-side. “You’re actually coming in today? I thought Leia banished you.” She quickly covered her mouth with her hand when she realized her slip up. 

His lips quirked slightly. “Banished is a strong word. She suggested I take a few weeks to work from home. So, I did. Now, I’m ready to come back.” 

Rey nodded silently. She will probably be seeing a lot more of Ben in the coming days. Surprisingly, she wasn’t disappointed at that thought. He was nice to look at with his tall frame and broad shoulders. _And that hair!_ He had just chased her 2 miles at break-neck speed and not a single one of his dark waves looked out of place. It was almost unfair. Leia often mentioned that she thought Rey and Ben would be cute together. Rey had brushed it off as light teasing from a proud mother of a single, successful son. At this moment, however, Rey couldn’t think of an argument against it. 

Her steps started to slow as they reached the entrance of her apartment building. “Well, this is me. I would thank you for trying to rescue me but, seeing as how it’s also your fault that I was scared in the first place, I’m not quite sure how to proceed,” Rey said with a cheeky smile. 

Ben smiled apologetically, looked down at the sidewalk and rubbed the back of his neck. He took a deep breath and brought his eyes back to hers. “I should probably make it up to you. How does dinner and a movie sound? Don’t feel like you have to say yes because my mom is your boss.”

A blush spread across Rey’s cheeks and she tried her best not to smile too wide. “I’d love that.” 

Ben did nothing to conceal the grin that broke out on his face. “Great! We can go after work today?” 

“Sounds good.” Rey started up the stairs to her door, then quickly turned around. “Oh, Ben!” 

Ben turned around to look back at her. “Yeah?” 

“Just no zombie movies, okay?”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)


End file.
